Conversations with Coordinators

The 49ers trotted out the coordinators today before their second minicamp practice for rookies and young players. Here are the highlights of what Greg Manusky and Jimmy Raye had to say.

MANUSKY:

PASS RUSHER: Parys Haralson, Manny Lawson, Bowling Green rookie free agent Diyral Briggs, newly-signed veteran Marques Harris, and the perpetually injured Jay Moore and Ahmad Brooks, who was claimed from the Bengals last year, will all compete to be the team’s edge rushers. Manusky said he’d love to get 10 or 12 sacks out of all of them, which obviously isn’t going to happen. He also said that Lawson’s knee injury really held him back last season and that he could develop into a pass rusher with a full training camp. Harris was coached by Manusky in San Diego, where Harris signed as a free agent. Last year, he made 2.5 sacks and three starts.

BROWN VS. HARRIS: No this isn’t a divorce proceeding, it’s the most noteworthy contest on defense with third-year player Tarell Brown squaring off against 14th-year starter Walt Harris for the right cornerback spot. “I definitely want that spot,” Brown said. “I’ll push Walt and Walt will push me.” Brown also said staying consistent will be his biggest challenge. For Brown to win the job, he’ll have to overcome Harris’s wealth of experience, which is why Brown is thankful he’s fully healthy this year. An injury sustained in the 2007 season finale kept him out of last spring’s minicamps, OTA’s and the off-season program.

MCDONALD OUT: Manusky said the knee surgery to reconstruct Ray McDonald’s medial collateral ligament will keep the defensive end sidelined through training camp and the first part of the season. McDonald’s playing time began to erode last year while his pain increased.

SHIFTING LINEMEN: Isaac Sopoaga, Aubrayo Franklin and last year’s top pick, Kentwan Balmer, will rotate at nose tackle, with Balmer and Sopoaga playing end. Sopoaga, for now, is still the starting left end.

ON BALMER’S DEVELOPMENT: When Balmer was in the game last season, did anyone notice? Manusky hopes that will change this year. “I think the hardest position to play is on the defensive line because there’s so much technique involved. … There’s always a transition that occurs between the first to the second year.” We’ll see.

RAYE:

SMITH VS. HILL: Forget that this is a rookie camp, the competition between these two vets is on! Raye said he isn’t really thinking about the quarterback duel at this stage. He first wants his players familar with his offense and its language before focusing on a starting quarterback, and like Mike Singletary yesterday, he didn’t provide a time line for when the decision will be made. However, you get the feeling the coaching staff would like a starter before the start of training camp.

HIS OFFENSE: Raye admitted that he doesn’t know what his run-pass ratio might be. But he did say he wanted his players to tough-minded, which immediately conjures up inside runs, dust clouds and grass stains. But Raye assured that being tough-minded doesn’t necessarily mean the team will run every down.